Mathias Watson-Brown

MATHIAS WATSON-BROWN WAS BORN ON MARCH 30, 1998 WEIGHING ONLY 2 POUNDS AND 11 OUNCES.  THIS BEING SAID, IT MUST BE  NOTED THAT MATHIAS (MICKEY AS HE IS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED), WAS AND STILL IS A DETERMINED FIGHTER.  HE OVERCAME THE ODDS OF HIS PREMATURE BIRTH, PROGRESSING AND PERFORMING WELL IN SCHOOL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
 
AT THE AGE OF 15 IN 2013, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH WPW SYNDROME, (WOLFF-PARKINSON-WHITE SYNDROME).  WPW IS A VERY RARE SYNDROME IN WHICH AN ELECTRICAL PATHWAY IN THE HEART CAUSES RAPID POUNDING HEARTBEATS, DIZZINESS AND LIGHTHEADEDNESS.  WPW IS PRESENT AT BIRTH, BUT MANIFESTS ITSELF BETWEEN THE AGES OF 11 AND 50.  HIS HEART CONDITION WAS TREATED WITH A SURGICAL ABLATION OF THE HEART AND MEDICATION TO STABILIZE HIS CONDITION 
 
IN AUGUST OF 2015, MICKEY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN EXTREMELY RARE FORM OF BRAIN CANCER CALLED PNET.  SINCE BEING DIAGNOSED, HE HAS UNDERGONE 4 BRAIN SURGERIES, RADIATION AND CHEMO THERAPY AND IS NOW IN HIS SECOND PHASE OF INTENSE CHEMO THERAPY WHICH IS FOR 6 MONTHS.  
 
 YET THROUGH IT ALL, HIS ATTITUDE, OUTLOOK AND DETERMINATION PREVAILS THROUGH HIS TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS IN DEALING WITH HIS ILLNESS.  MATHIAS CONTINUES TO BE THE DETERMINED FIGHTER HE WAS WHEN HE WAS BORN.  HE IS PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS WELL AS THE STAFF OF ADVOCATE HOPE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND THE  KEYSER CANCER CENTER LOCATED THERE.